Before you go...

Unlock $100 savings on GRE Live Courses and Tutoring!

Where should we send the code?

Understanding GRE Percentiles & Scoring

Understanding GRE Percentiles & Scoring

Taking the Graduate Record Examination, or the GRE, is one of the things a student must do before applying to graduate school. The results of this test assist school officials in determining if a student would be a good candidate for the graduate study program. Naturally, students who take this test want to find out their GRE scores. Percentile rank is also a concern for students who want to apply to several schools. Taking a closer look at some information about GRE scoring, percentiles, and the actual content of the exam can assist students in evaluating their test results.

The Scoring Scale for the GRE
Before students can fully understand GRE scoring, percentiles, and other elements of their test results, they have to learn about the scoring scale on the exam. The GRE has three parts: verbal reasoning, quantitative, and analytical writing. The scoring scale is the same for the verbal reasoning and the quantitative sections. A student can earn from 130 to 170 points on each of those two sections. Both the verbal reasoning and quantitative sections are scored in one-point increments. Alternatively, the scoring scale for the analytical writing section ranges from 0 to 6 points. This section is scored in half-point increments. Sometimes colleges look at composite scores for the GRE, but many look at the individual scores for each section of the test. This gives them a better picture of a student’s strengths. Sometimes looking at a sample GRE score report (PDF) can help students navigate their own test results. However, before a student takes the GRE, it’s a wise idea to prep for the exam. Our team of experts at Veritas Prep is dedicated to helping students achieve their best scores on the GRE. In our online classes, we convey valuable strategies to students that help them simplify questions in any section of the test. We offer tips on how to approach questions that may seem confusing or complicated. Most importantly, our instructors practice those techniques with students to make sure the students can utilize the strategies on test day. Students who work with Veritas Prep benefit by partnering with instructors who have real life experience with the GRE.

How to Interpret GRE Scores, Percentiles, and More
A student’s test results display their GRE score, percentile rank, and other pertinent information. Students can see how they performed on the test by looking at their GRE score. Percentiles on a scoring report reveal how a student’s performance compares with the performance of others who took the exam. For instance, say a student’s score is in the 70th percentile rank on the verbal reasoning section of the exam. This means that 70 percent of individuals earned a lower score on that section. Out of all aspects of GRE scoring, percentiles are the most useful to graduate school officials, who can compare one student’s test performance to the performance of other students across the country. At Veritas Prep, we offer students effective ways to improve their scores on the GRE.

Qualifying for Acceptance to Graduate School
One thing that students can do before taking the GRE is to check out the websites of the schools they are interested in. A school may have a web page that lists the various items that must be included with a graduate school application. Sometimes colleges and universities display the minimum GRE scores that students must have in order to gain acceptance into the school. In other cases, schools post the average scores of students currently enrolled in the graduate school program. Either way, a student can get an idea of the GRE score that he or she needs to achieve to gain acceptance into a particular university. It’s very helpful for some students to have specific scores in their mind as they prepare to take the GRE.

Our GRE tutors at Veritas Prep have the experience and resources to guide students toward success on the GRE. We give students the tools and the confidence to perform at their absolute best on test day. Students with questions about our services may want to visit our frequently asked questions page for quick answers. They can also call or email us to find out more about our GRE courses. Sign up with Veritas Prep today and learn how to master the GRE!